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[CCBC-Net] Bullies
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From: Monica Edinger <monicaedinger>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:22:54 -0400
In my multiple decades as a classroom teacher I've seen many bullies, victims, victims being bullies sometimes, and bullies being victims sometimes. I've seen adults bully (my worst bullying experiences were from adults when I was an adult); I've seen adults be victims and bullies and vice versa. And just consider: one person's bully can be another person's hero. And I'm not thinking just kids, but adults too. Prominent adults.
Just as with all teaching and learning, instilling the concepts of tolerance and kindness and caring and empathy permanently into those who act with extreme and not-so-extreme meanness is an incredibly complex thing. For every child that stops bullying forever after one caring adult helps them on the right path are others who still bully despite all the best efforts of a cadre of concerned adults. Every circumstance of teasing, bullying, meanness, and nastiness is unique. Every victim, every bully --- unique. We teachers have some tools to aid us (my best have been some incredibly supportive and understanding administrators and school psychologist for school bullying situations), but in the end all we can do is show that we care and create the safest classrooms we can in our imperfect ways.
Monica
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:22:54 -0400
In my multiple decades as a classroom teacher I've seen many bullies, victims, victims being bullies sometimes, and bullies being victims sometimes. I've seen adults bully (my worst bullying experiences were from adults when I was an adult); I've seen adults be victims and bullies and vice versa. And just consider: one person's bully can be another person's hero. And I'm not thinking just kids, but adults too. Prominent adults.
Just as with all teaching and learning, instilling the concepts of tolerance and kindness and caring and empathy permanently into those who act with extreme and not-so-extreme meanness is an incredibly complex thing. For every child that stops bullying forever after one caring adult helps them on the right path are others who still bully despite all the best efforts of a cadre of concerned adults. Every circumstance of teasing, bullying, meanness, and nastiness is unique. Every victim, every bully --- unique. We teachers have some tools to aid us (my best have been some incredibly supportive and understanding administrators and school psychologist for school bullying situations), but in the end all we can do is show that we care and create the safest classrooms we can in our imperfect ways.
Monica
-- Monica Edinger The Dalton School 108 East 89th Street New York NY 10128 monicaedinger at gmail.com my blog educating alice is at http://medinger.wordpress.comReceived on Wed 19 Mar 2008 01:22:54 PM CDT
